I have never been very skilled at making smoothies, but there are so many different ways to make them. You can practically put anything in to a blender and if you put the right supporting ingredients in with it - it turns out amazing!
My kids are shockingly good smoothie makers. I think it is because they have no fear. Brave little teenager taste buds.
Food $ense has the most amazing Smoothie Pattern to help you make up your own.
Create a delicious and nutritious smoothie from simple foods. Just choose an item from each category and follow the directions. Use your imagination!
Each smoothie serves 1 adult.
DIRECTIONS:
Choose a liquid (½ to 1½ cups, depending on desired consistency)
Choose extras (optional)
• Water: inexpensive, easy, and calorie free.
• ¼ to ½ cup raw oats
• Milk: dairy, soy, almond, rice, hemp, coconut, etc.
• 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1-2 tablespoons chia seed
• ½ cup yogurt
• ½ diced avocado
• cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla
• ice as needed
• Fruit Juice: use sparingly for added flavor, and combine with water or milk.
• 1-2 tablespoons ground flax seed
Choose produce (2-3 cups)
• Fruit: fresh, frozen, or canned such as strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, banana, pineapple, peach, pear, plum, cherry, melon, apple, kiwi, mango, papaya, orange, lemon, lime.
• Vegetable: fresh spinach, chard, kale, green pepper, avocado, carrot, cooked, frozen, or canned pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, peas.
Select a food from each category, or use your own favorites.
Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor in order listed. Blend until smooth.
HINT: You will need minimal to no ice if using mostly frozen produce. You will need more ice if using fresh, canned, or cooked produce. Do not overload blender, and chop any large pieces of fruit or vegetables for the best texture.
Here are some tips specifically for those popular Green Smoothies. They look a little while and kinda Incredible Hulk-ish, but they are sure are good for you - and they really Are dang delicious!!
The sky's the limit when it comes to smoothie combinations you can whip up in your blender.
And while you don't always need to follow a recipe, if you're not careful even green smoothies packed with things like kale or bananas can easily turn into sugar- and calorie-bombs.
Try one of our suggested green smoothie combos below—or create your own favorite flavor!
Try these: Unsweetened almond milk or other unsweetened nondairy milks (soy, rice, hemp), low-fat milk, coconut water, water.
Frozen Banana - 1 cup: For natural sweetness and always rich, creamy (not icy) body, frozen banana slices are a must. Another bonus: bananas are a relatively inexpensive fruit.
Frozen Fruit - 1/2 cup: Frozen fruit makes a frosty smoothie without added ice (some blenders can’t handle ice cubes). Buy already frozen fruit or freeze your own.
Try these: Blueberries, cherries, strawberries, pineapple, mango, apples, raspberries, blackberries, grapes.
Protein - 1/3 cup: To give your smoothie staying power add protein. Protein slows the digestion of carbs, keeping you full longer.
Try these: Nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, silken tofu.
Greens - 1 cup: Add 1 cup of greens to help meet your daily veggie quota without overpowering your smoothie.
Try these: Baby spinach, kale (stemmed and chopped).
Health Bonus - 1 Tbsp.: Throw in chia seeds or flaxseeds, for a boost of omega-3s and fiber. Or add nut butters for healthy fats and a little more protein.
Try these: Chia seed, flaxseed, hemp seed, peanut butter, almond butter.
Optional: Have a sweet tooth? Add up to 2 tsp. liquid sweetener like maple syrup or agave.
